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Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has been exposed in a leaked WhatsApp chat where he is desperately begging for Sh 3 million to help protect First Choice Director Ms Judy Jepchirchir
Ms Jepchirchir was accused of swindling millions from thousands of youths with the promise of securing scholarship opportunities for them in Finland.
The scandal involved Sh1.1 billion suspected to have been amassed and this led to the arrest of Uasin Gishu senator Jackson Mandago in August.
The scholarship saga has been under probe by a the senate committee chaired by West Pokot senator Julius Murgor.
In the leaked WhatsApp chat,the senator is specifically requesting Sh3million to be shared between the committee chairman and members.
” Just know how I am protecting her from the chair” Cherargei typed and the recipient of the message also responded: ” Ok I will let her know,”
Cherargei then continues: ” 3m I take care of the chair and members,”
The senator then clarifies that anything else can be done later.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) had in August ordered Mandago and three other top county officials for prosecution over the county’s scholarship scam.
They were accused of conspiring to steal Sh1 billion from an account domiciled at the Kenya Commercial Bank in Eldoret registered under the Uasin Gishu Education Trust Fund meant for overseas university fees for students under Uasin Gishu County Overseas Education Programmes.
The other officials Joseph Kipkemoi Maritim, Meshak Rono and Joshua Kipkemoi Lelei are still at large.
President Ruto had before that asked those behind the scam to pay back the money.
“If there is anyone who embezzled those funds, let him prepare to face the music. They must return the money. They will not get away,“said the head of state.